NSW Cherub State Champs - Mitchell and Stephenson continue dominance

Kirk Mitchell and Andrew Stephenson from Drummoyne Sailing Club strengthened their hold on the NSW Cherub State Championship in the second round of racing of the four round series. Twenty six Cherubs contested the second, round held on Mitchell and Stephenson’s home waters of Sydney’s Upper Harbour.

With Saturday’s racing abandoned due to a lack of breeze the Race Committee opted for three short races on Sunday in gusty 12-15kts of easterly breeze. Mitchell and Stephenson finished the day with two wins and a second, to go with their perfect score of three wins from the first round. The result has delivered the pair with a commanding 19 point head at the half way point of the series. Their closest rivals Brett and Ryan Lancaster from Belmont struggled in the tricky Upper Harbour conditions recording placing of seventh, sixth and fifth with their lead over the Stewart brothers in third place now down to a narrow three points.

The other fancied crew to suffer in Round Two was current National Champion Trevor Fay, sailing this season with Morgan Frew. A solid second in the first race saw them off to a good start but an OCS and a tenth dropped them down the leader board at the end of the day.

Mitchell and Stephenson have a clear dominance over all the other crews at this point in the season. They exemplified this in the final race of the day when they returned to the start having been over the line, then sailed through the fleet to be in the top group by the first windward mark, sailing on to a strong second place behind their club mates Lawrence Wakefield and Oliver Jones.

Matt Rhys-Jones and Dan Grilk sailing The French Tickler work hard to bridge a gap downwind. - 2013-14 NSW Cherub State Championships

Carol Stephenson

John Sanderson and Jess Stephenson were all concentration as they chansed the leaders. - 2013-14 NSW Cherub State Championships

Carol Stephenson

Tight racing was the order of the day thoughout the round. - 2013-14 NSW Cherub State Championships

Carol Stephenson

Kirk Mitchell and Andrew Stephenson (right) roll over the top of their closest rivals Trevor Fay and Morgan Frew - 2013-14 NSW Cherub State Championships

Carol Stephenson

The third round of the series will be shared between Lane Cove 12ft Sailing Skiff Club and BYRA in early February 2014.